Johann Christoph Pez
Encyclopedia
Johann Christoph Pez also Petz, was a musician
, Kapellmeister
and composer
.
. From 1676, he was the tower watchman and later the Choir director at the Church of Saint Peter in Munich
. In 1688, he became a musician at the court of prince Maximilian Emmanuel, Elector of Bavaria
who offered him the opportunity to pursue his musical studies in Rome
with the leading Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli
. In 1694, Pez was in the service of Joseph Clemens, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne at his residence in Bonn
, working to improve the prince's chapel orchestra. In 1695, he became Kapellmeister
and advisor to the prince.
Returning to Munich in 1701, he remained for five years at the court's chapel. In 1706, he became the senior Kapellmeister (Oberkapellmeister) of Eberhard, the Duke of Württemberg, a position he held until his death. Under his directorship, the chapel orchestra expanded considerably. He died in Stuttgart.
.
Although largely forgotten today, he was mentioned in a lyric poem written by Georg Philipp Telemann
in 1730, who placed Pez beside the names of composers like Händel
, as a grand composers of his era, singling out in particular the quality if his Sonatas.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Life
Pez was born in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. From 1676, he was the tower watchman and later the Choir director at the Church of Saint Peter in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. In 1688, he became a musician at the court of prince Maximilian Emmanuel, Elector of Bavaria
Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria
Maximilian II , also known as Max Emanuel or Maximilian Emanuel, was a Wittelsbach ruler of Bavaria and an elector of the Holy Roman Empire. He was also the last Governor of the Spanish Netherlands and duke of Luxembourg...
who offered him the opportunity to pursue his musical studies in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
with the leading Italian composer Arcangelo Corelli
Arcangelo Corelli
Arcangelo Corelli was an Italian violinist and composer of Baroque music.-Biography:Corelli was born at Fusignano, in the current-day province of Ravenna, although at the time it was in the province of Ferrara. Little is known about his early life...
. In 1694, Pez was in the service of Joseph Clemens, Archbishop-Elector of Cologne at his residence in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, working to improve the prince's chapel orchestra. In 1695, he became Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
and advisor to the prince.
Returning to Munich in 1701, he remained for five years at the court's chapel. In 1706, he became the senior Kapellmeister (Oberkapellmeister) of Eberhard, the Duke of Württemberg, a position he held until his death. Under his directorship, the chapel orchestra expanded considerably. He died in Stuttgart.
Work
Like many of his contemporaries, Pez was heavily influenced by the French style, and he was one of many imitators of Jean-Baptiste LullyJean-Baptiste Lully
Jean-Baptiste de Lully was an Italian-born French composer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered the chief master of the French Baroque style. Lully disavowed any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French subject in...
.
Although largely forgotten today, he was mentioned in a lyric poem written by Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Philipp Telemann was a German Baroque composer and multi-instrumentalist. Almost completely self-taught in music, he became a composer against his family's wishes. After studying in Magdeburg, Zellerfeld, and Hildesheim, Telemann entered the University of Leipzig to study law, but eventually...
in 1730, who placed Pez beside the names of composers like Händel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
, as a grand composers of his era, singling out in particular the quality if his Sonatas.